Stakeholders have stressed on the need for policy and practical steps for a sustainable conservation of water sources and rivers noting that they are at a high risk due to climate change, increasing human activities and encroachment.
At a program titled ‘Management of Karnali River’ organized by Nepal River Conservation Trust (NRCT) with the assistance of Paani Project in Dhangadhi on Sunday, participants said that Karnali River should be conserved for a long-term by formulating necessary laws.
On the occasion, two separate reports prepared broadly by incorporating various aspects to formulate necessary laws for the management of corridor and conservation of Karnali River were handed over to Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment Maya Bhatta.
The research reports were prepared by Nepal River Conservation Trust with the assistance of Paani Project. Receiving the reports, Minister Bhatta said that the reports will be helpful while formulating laws and policy for the conservation of river. Moreover, she said that the concerned authority should also find alternative ways to manage the community who depends highly on rivers.
“Tharu, Majhi and Raji communities have been sustaining their lives by fishing in the rivers for generations. That is why, the concerned authority should find alternative ways to sustain their lives,” she said. She also said that Karnali River should be conserved as cultural and tourist area. Minister Bhatta further said that Karnali corridor project was started to make the river clean and beautiful and to create job opportunities. Saying that the Ministry has recently endorsed Environment Conservation Act, she expressed her commitment for the conservation of riverbed materials and aquatic animals.
Speaking at the program, Nilu Basnyat, Chief of Paani Project, said that the Paani Project has paid a special attention for a sustainable development of hydropower electricity, water supply, irrigation, agriculture and tourism, environment-friendly roads. She added that the project has adopted the policy to minimize soil erosion in its every undertaking.
She also said that the Paani Project has provided financial assistance to 31 local organizations to carry out the works. “Especially, irrigation and hydropower projects have been affecting the river system. Increasing encroachment of rivers have also been affecting aquatic animals,” Basnyat said. She said that 120 species have been found in Karnali River so far and 150 places important for biodiversity have also been identified.
“The research has evaluated the value chain of fishes. Similarly, it has fixed the market price of fish and the price for exporting fish to other countries,” she said, adding, “The most important thing is that we need good governance to take advantage from fish.”
According to Basnyat, the Project has been working on broader framework model to find the fish market and earnings. Apart from that, the project has also been conducting research to find out the situation of water sources.
While conducting research of 4,000 water sources, the project has found out that 70 percent of water sources have dried up and the water level has also been decreasing. Basnyat also said that the project’s another work is to determine the water quality.
She said that the concerned authority should find alternative ways for the people residing near the river banks to sustain their lives as it will decrease their dependence on rivers which will protect the aquatic animals and river biodiversity. “We are ready to provide necessary knowledge for the construction of infrastructure to sustain the lives,” she said. Saying that the Paani Project has been preparing broader profile of rivers for the first time in Nepal, she urged province and local governments to use them.
During the program, Basnyat informed the participants that the federal government had suggested them to take ahead the conservation and development works together while formulating policy and act. She further said, “The concept of sustainable development should be taken ahead by taking into account the next generation.”
Also speaking at the program, Chairman of Nepal River Conservation Trust Megh Ale said that there will be no meaning of humans if the nature is destroyed, stressing on the need for conservation of rivers and aquatic animals. “Nepal is known in the world as a country rich in water sources and rivers, but the rivers have been vanishing and water sources have been drying up gradually. There is a need for sustainable development,” he said, adding, “Karnali River should be conserved.” He said that scientists have also described Karnali River as rare.
Similarly, Executive Director of Nepal River Conservation Trust Mausam Khanal said that broader study is also being carried out to find out social, environmental and other aspects of Karnali River. He said that a team had travelled the length of the Karnali River in 44 days from September to October in 2018 to study the social, cultural and environmental aspects of Karnali River.
Saying that there is need of formulating laws related to the management of river, Dr Chiranjivi Bhattarai, working committee member of Nepal River Conservation Trust, said that this is the right time for all the three governments to formulate the laws. He presented the conclusion of the broader research conducted to manage the laws pertaining to the strategic conservation of the rivers.
Bhattarai in his research report has underlined that pedestrian’s path or walkway should be constructed near the rivers and the rivers having historical and cultural importance should be conserved. He also said that India, America and Australia, among other countries, have already formulated the laws to conserve the rivers. Province lawmakers, government officials, journalists and other concerned stakeholders were present in the program.
